


What Will Be Will Be

by Daretodream66



Series: Chances Are [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: AU-obviously, Bad guys being not so bad sometimes, F/M, Kidnapping, M/M, Reincarnation, Thaddeus Ross being an asshole, until they are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2020-06-26 01:05:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 17,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19757434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daretodream66/pseuds/Daretodream66
Summary: This is a continuation of the Chances Are world where Bucky is reincarnated into Jacob Weaver.  Steve and Jacob are married with two kids, Iris 7 and Sebastian 3.  A lowly intern at Stark Industries tells the wrong person that Sebastian is the biological child of Steve Rogers.  He carries the serum and the story unfolds from there.Thor and Olivia, Jacob's sister, are married in this and expecting their first child.Please, if you haven't read the Chances Are series, this will make no sense at all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SilverRowan_Ivy630951](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverRowan_Ivy630951/gifts).



> I started this about 4 days ago and outlined the first 10 chapters. Then I started writing and it doesn't follow the outline at all. Hopefully, the reader understands how that happens. I start stories all the time and they don't go where I think they are going to go. I have about two weeks before I have to go back to work, so I'm really hoping to get this finished by then. I have 7 chapters finished and I'm working every day because now that the idea has been planted in my head I can't get it out.

“Baby, do we need to take two pair of sneakers for Sebby?” Steve comes out of the kid’s room carrying two tiny pairs of shoes. He can’t get over how cute they are because they are so small. He should be used to it, but he'll never get used to having little people he can call his own.

Bucky comes out of the bathroom with Iris wrapped in a towel while Sebby streaks by wearing nothing. Steve barks a laugh. “Oh god, he’s going to be a nudist.” 

“What’s a nudist, Papa?” Everything they say, with Iris around, gets either questioned or repeated. Bucky hangs his head and Steve looks at him grinning.

“It’s a person that doesn’t wear clothes ever.” Bucky frowns at Steve for not helping him out of this situation, but the smirk that Steve wears tells Bucky the tall blond enjoyed watching him squirm.

“Yep, he’s going to be a nudist then.” She wiggles down, still wrapped in her towel and goes to find her brother, Her parents are sure she’s going to inform him of his new status as the family nudist.

Bucky leans against Steve. “The last thing we need is for him to tell my parents that he’s a nudist.” Steve laughs and wraps an arm around his husband’s waist. “Why are you carrying two pair of Sebby’s shoes?”

“Oh, do we need to take both?” Bucky turns in Steve’s arms, kissing him heatedly. “That’s how we get into trouble and get caught by Iris in compromising positions.

“That was one time and we’ve put a lock on our door since then.” Bucky takes a pair of the shoes and heads into the kid’s room. “And he only needs these. We’re only going to be gone a week and what’s the point of taking too much when we have trouble keeping him in clothes.”

“Did Tony call today?” Tony is picking them up tomorrow instead of using the quinjet under the barn. He told Steve last week that Morgan made him promise to pick them up and get them to New York safely.

Bucky is distracted by Sebastian’s ridiculous amount of clothes. “How did this child get this many clothes? He’ll grow out of them before he wears them all.” He turns and Steve is leaning on the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an answer. “Sorry, got distracted. Yes, he did call and he’ll be here around 11.”

“If your sister doesn’t have that baby during this week, you gonna stay a little longer?” Steve doesn’t really want Bucky staying behind, but he also understands why he would. If Iris didn’t have school after the October fall holiday, Steve would stay too.

“Probably, but let’s just see what happens. I don’t want to think about watching you and the kids leave.” He throws a couple of extra outfits into the suitcase on the bed and goes over to Steve. “Can we just make a promise to each other that when we get home, we don’t go anywhere without each other ever again?”

Steve’s arms slip around Bucky’s waist again, pulling him close. “I don’t know why we keep doing things that separate us.” He leans in, kissing Bucky. “Let’s just unplug all the technology, throw our phones away, and live off the grid.”

Bucky snorts and kisses Steve again. They don’t hear the kids come up the stairs. “Oh for heaven sake! Daddy, Papa, you can do that later when we aren't around. We don’t need to see that.” Iris storms past them and into Seb’s room. Getting underwear and pj’s she goes back into the hallway to help her brother dress. “They’re still at it.” Steve and Bucky are kissing now, just to annoy their daughter.

Sebby steps into the underwear, holding on to his sister’s shoulders. “They goss.”

“Yes little brother, they are.” The two grown-ups giggle into the kiss.

Later when Bucky is putting Sebastian down and Steve is reading with Iris, she looks up at him with that sleepy expression that her Papa gets. “Daddy?”

He closes the book knowing that every night, before going to sleep; she wants to talk about something she thinks is hugely important. “Yes, Iris?”

“Are you and Papa ever going to have another baby?” Steve was not expecting that.

He doesn’t hear Bucky come to the door because his brain is racing too fast with what he’s going to say to his daughter. “Well…uh…we haven’t ever talked about having another baby.”

She turns on her side and reaches out for his hand. Taking her tiny hand in his own, Steve wonders if it’s something they should talk about. His life with Bucky and the kids is the thing he’s most proud of. “I think you should. You and Papa are the best parents of all the ones that I know.”

“Oh, even when we do gross stuff like kiss in the hallway?” She rolls her eyes and Steve chuckles.

“Even then. I told Nana tonight about that and she told me something about that.” When Iris and Sebastian are Skyping with Nana and Pop Pop, Steve and Bucky are usually cleaning the kitchen from dinner.

“What did Nana have to say about our gross kissing?” He’s really curious to know what Bucky’s mom thinks of it.

“She said that when parents act like that with each other, it means it’s forever and I never have to worry like some other kids do when their parents don’t live together anymore. She said it means that you and Papa love each other more than anything in the whole world.” She looks up at him with her big, blue eyes. “Is that true? Do you love Papa like it’s true love?”

Steve blushes, but leans in a kisses his daughter. “What I have with your Papa is true love. It’s bigger than any love has ever been. If I didn’t have Papa, I wouldn’t be me. He’s everything I ever wanted and I’ll love him until the stars go out.”

“Then you should have another baby. Babies show how much you love each other. Isn’t that right?” She’s remembering something Bucky told her a few years ago and it makes Steve smile.

“If that’s the measure of how much we love each other then we’re going to have to buy a bigger house to fit all the kids in.” She falls into a fit of giggles and Steve kisses her cheek. “Get some sleep. We have a long trip tomorrow.”

“Night Daddy. Night Papa.” Steve turns to see Bucky looking at him like Steve’s the sun and the moon. Taking his husband’s hand, Steve leads him into their bedroom, closes the door, and locks it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the bad guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long time between posts. I got stuck on a later chapter and it stalled me for a little while.

“Boss, we might have a job.” The man behind the desk looks up, unimpressed. “I know, I know, but this one is something I think you’ll be interested in.”

Cocking an eyebrow, he looks at Jason. “Spit it out then.”

“There’s a kid…” He looks down at his phone to make sure he’s got the name right. “Sebastian Rogers, he’s three and one of the dark ops wants him.”

Nick gets up from the desk and walks to the window, leaning on it with his forearm, he sighs. “First of all, we don’t take kids. Second, why would you bring this to me? Kidnappings aren’t our thing.”

“I brought it to you because of who this kid is.” Jason comes over, showing Nick the picture taken from the office building across from the Stark’s penthouse.

Nick takes the phone, blowing up the photo. “Is that who I think it is?” Jason nods with a smirk. “You’re telling me that Steve Rogers has a biological son?” Jason nods again with a wide grin. Nick laughs boldly. “Get word out that we’ll take the job.” He scrolls through the pictures. “Where did these come from?”

“An agent in the office building next to the Stark penthouse.” He takes his phone back, pocketing it.

Nick leans on his desk. “That doesn’t send up a red flag to Stark?”

“The agent has pap creds, so Stark thinks it’s just for the society page.” Nick nods.

Jason heads out of the office. “OH and Jase…” The other man turns around. “Find out who it is that wants him. They may or may not get him once we’ve taken him.” Jason looks confused, but leaves the office. Nick sits down at his desk again, looking at the picture of his father. “Well dad, it looks like revenge isn’t that far off.” Picking up the phone he makes a few calls. He’s going to need surveillance on them at all times. 

Jason stops just outside the door, leaning against the frame. He didn’t want to take this to Nick, but he also knows how important this is to the man. Jason never asked the details of the murder, but it was a rough year after. If this helps Nick get closure, it will be worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve, Bucky and the kids arrive in New York.

The quinjet lands on the roof of the building. Tony purchased the apartment at Pepper’s insistence, along with the next three floors down and outfitted the roof with a landing pad. As they disembark, Sebastian runs from the back of the jet when he sees Morgan. The two are the same age and seem to have a language and world all their own when they are together. Tony grins at the toddlers embrace. “Those two are ridiculously cute.”

Steve carries Iris off the jet and Bucky shakes his head at the little ones. “I’m just glad he didn’t strip down on the jet.”

“Excuse me?” Tony pulls his glasses off and looks at Bucky oddly.

Iris raises her head from Steve’s shoulder. “Sebby is practicing to be a nudist.” 

This statement is heard by everyone, including Pepper and Happy who have come onto the roof. “Uh…do we want to know?” Happy bends down to pick up both toddlers, who are doing what Bucky would swear is some kind of sign language.

“He doesn’t like clothes very much right now, so I apologize to everyone because at some point this week, you will see him naked.” As they turn to go into the building, Bucky catches a flash from a neighboring building. The hair on the back of his neck stands up and Winter scans for danger.

Steve comes up beside him by the railing. Bucky’s not sure when Winter moved them over to the edge. “Snow Angel? What’s going on?” After the Hydra base, Steve’s always been able to tell the difference between his husband’s personalities

Winter looks up at Steve blushing with his brow furrowed. He’d never come right out and say it, but the fact that Steve has an endearment just for him, makes him feel floaty. “Someone’s watching. There was a glare from a scope.”

“Are you sure?” Winter nods and leans into Steve. “Tony, what’s in that building over there?”

Tony comes up, leaning on the railing. “Offices mostly. Oh, sometimes paparazzi will rent out one of the offices to try and get pictures of us.” He looks at Steve. “Why?”

“Winter saw a flash from a scope.”

“Sorry about the asshole photographers. We’re just used to it.” Tony heads back in and Steve pulls Winter along with him. The ex-assassin doesn’t relinquish control immediately because he doesn’t trust that it was a camera lens. 

Melinda steps off the lift the following morning to screams. “NANA!” Three children bombard her with affection while the adults grin. No one is really sure when it happened, but somewhere over the last few years, Melinda Weaver became Nana to everyone’s kids. She takes the job very seriously, to the point that she treats Tony like her son. He’s not really sure what to do with that, but part of him really likes having a mother figure in his life.

“How are all of my babies?” Steve and Bucky hug her after the hoard is done. “How are you two? You look good.”

“We’re good, ma.” Ma had slipped out of Steve’s mouth one morning after Iris was born and had stuck. He kisses her on the cheek.

Tony comes over, also kissing her cheek. “The real kids are in town, so I’m just forgotten. I see how it is.”

Melinda throws her arms around him dramatically. “I could never forget my favorite.”

“HEY!” Steve and Bucky speak in unison.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family outing.

The trip to the Botanical Garden is a hit with the kids. Sebastian falls in love with the butterflies. Iris can’t get over the different flowers and asks her Nana what each one of them are. Melinda reads each of the information plates to her. Morgan rides on Thor’s shoulders asking him to make it rain. 

“Princess Morgan, I am the God of Thunder, not the god of rain.” He holds her tiny legs while her arms are wrapped under his chin.

Morgan giggles. “Mommy says…” Thor rolls his eyes because if Pepper says it, it must be true. “If you try hard, can do anyting.” He can’t help the bark of laughter.

Steve and Bucky walk with Oli, who doesn’t seem to be enjoying the humidity very much. “You two could have taken into account that I’m eight and a half months pregnant with, what I can only assume is the biggest baby to ever be born.”

Bucky laughs and squeezes her hand. “You’re the one that wanted to go and start a family with a giant of a man from another planet.”

“Yeah, and since your kid is half human he or she is probably going to be below average.” Having extended family is not something Steve ever thought he’d have, but he definitely likes having a sister. And he definitely likes to tease her.

“Honey! Can you kill these two for me? They’re making fun of our baby.” Thor turns, coming over to Oli and mock frowning at his brothers.

“Princess Morgan has asked me to make it rain and if stray bolts of lightning hit your kin it would be considered a natural disaster.” Oli giggles, leaning in to kiss her husband. “If you command it, it shall happen.”

Tony comes up to the group slapping the god’s shoulder. “Thor, I think you’re more whipped than the rest of us. And that’s saying something because I know how whipped I am.” The group laughs and Melinda rolls her eyes at the insanity that is her family.

A lovely blue and black butterfly lands on Sebastian’s arm as the group turns the next corner. He giggles when it walks up to the bend in his elbow. A man kneels down next to him. “Looks like you have a new friend.”

Sebastian looks up grinning and the man smiles at him. “It pwetty.” Looking back at the butterfly, he snorts another giggle. “Fwiend.”

“I’d like to be your friend too. What do you think of that?” Sebastian uses the arm that doesn’t have a butterfly on it, to extend his hand. His daddy’s taught him proper greetings. The man smiles and takes the tiny offered hand. “I’m Nick. Are you Sebastian?”

Sebby nods and then hears his Daddy call his name. “Gotta go…Daddy.” He goes back around the corner and finds Steve who scoops him up carefully to keep the butterfly from flying away.

“Stay with us, Sebby. I don’t want to lose you.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are the bad guys up to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was asked who the bad guys are. It gets explained in a later chapter.

“Did you get the intel?” Jason hands over the tablet and Nick starts going through everything they have.

“Did you make contact?” Nick nods and keeps reading.

“He’s a sweet kid. Looks just like his father. Seems to have a thing for butterflies. We might be able to use that.” He expands something on the tablet. “Is this correct?”

Jason leans in, reading what’s on the screen. “Yeah, they’re here for the birth of a niece or nephew.”

“No, I mean that the father of the unborn kid is Thor.” Jason nods again. “Why isn’t someone trying to take that kid? Speaking of, did you find out who it is that wants the kid?”

“Maybe you should sit for this.” Nick trusts Jason completely, so if he says to sit, Nick sits. “It’s the U.S. government. It seems that part of the Accords, that no one seems to have read, is that Captain Steven Rogers will submit himself for tests.” Nick’s eyes go huge. “When the Avengers refused to sign, the government had no way to get their hands on the genetic material needed to make more, you know, super soldiers. Anyway, they got tipped off by some underling that works for Stark that the kid is biologically Rogers’.” Nick gets up and starts pacing the length of his office. 

“So they want the kid for testing?” Jason doesn’t answer, but Nick knows that look. “What’s the window that they’ve given us to get the kid?”

“Two weeks. After that time, they’ll storm the Rogers’ farm and take him by force.” Nick throws himself into his chair. “I know that look, Boss. What’s going on?”

Nick puts his chin in his hand, thinking. “The fact that this kid is going to be nothing more than a lab rat to the government of this country doesn’t sit well with me.” He looks up at his friend. “Especially if we can use him for something better.”

“So, I take it we aren’t turning the kid over once we have him.” Nick shakes his head. “Then what’s the plan?”

“We take the kid, disappear and raise him ourselves. We educate him properly, encourage his strength and agility, then turn him loose on his own family when it’s time. We get rid of Rogers and his husband, we can bring down the whole team.” He smiles pleasantly at Jason. “We just have to be ready to play the long game.” Getting up, he goes to the safe. Pulling out a large envelope, he hands it to Jason. He always keeps this option open because a person never knows when they may have to bug out. “Follow the instructions in there and use those cards to set everything up. I want everything ready to go by the end of the week.” Jason nods and walks out. Nick pulls out his phone, looking at the pictures that he took of Sebastian. “Kid, you are going to be the greatest weapon this world has ever known. And you’re going to do it all for your new daddy.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A serious talk happens that Steve and Bucky were hoping wouldn't.
> 
> This chapter may seem out of place, but it all ties back in later.

The following day the decisions is made, by Melinda, that Olivia is too tired from the previous day to go on another outing, so they make dinner plans. Thor and Steve take the kids to the gym on the lower floor for play time. Morgan and Iris climb the jungle gym while Thor plays with Sebastian. Steve works on the punching bags while keeping an eye on everyone else.

“Daddy, what makes you and Sebastian so strong.” Steve saw Iris coming while Morgan slides, squealing with laughter. Iris is watching Sebby.

Steve stops his workout and sits on the floor with Iris. Morgan makes her way over, sitting on Steve’s other leg. “Well, a long time ago, when I was little and weak, a very kind man, Dr. Abram Erskine, made a medicine that made Daddy tall and strong.”

Iris looks over at Sebastian again, picking up weights that a normal 3 year old wouldn’t be able to budge. “What about Sebastian?”

Steve knows they are getting into dangerous territory with her questions. Thor sees his confusion and trepidation and comes over with Sebby. Sitting cross legged, Seb sits in Thor’s lap. “Well, see…” He looks at Thor pleadingly, but his brother-in-law doesn’t know what the question was, so he can’t really help. “Sebastian got his abilities from me.”

Now that Thor has a better understanding of the conversation, he gives Steve a sympathetic look. Iris, ever the curious child, keeps going. “What about me? I’m your daughter. Why don’t I have abilities?”

Steve takes a deep breath. “I think to have this conversation, we are going to need to go see Papa.”

Bucky knows as soon as they come into the apartment that something is up. Steve looks like a deer caught in headlights. “Love, what’s going on?”

Sebby runs for his room to get toys and Morgan sprints after him. Thor sits at the bar and drinks a glass of water. Iris, pulls herself onto a stool and looks expectantly at her fathers. “Iris wants to know why Sebby has abilities and she doesn’t because they are both my kids.”

Bucky’s eyes bug out, he looks over at Iris, who is drinking from Thor’s glass of water, then back at Steve. “Uh…okay then…what…how…”

“Yeah, now you know why we came back early. I didn’t know how to answer that.” Steve pulls him to the sofa. “I didn’t really think that we’d have to ever answer these questions.”

“Then you haven’t been paying attention, Steve. She’s a smart kid and was going to start to ask at some point.” Iris looks so much like Bucky that it’s frightening and Sebby is the spitting image of Steve in every way. The last time she had been sick, she asked why Sebby never got sick. Steve knows he should have seen this coming, but he had hoped that it wouldn’t. He never wants either of the kids to believe they are anything more than both Steve and Bucky’s.

“I know, I was just hoping that she’d just accept that both are ours in every way.” Bucky leans in, kissing his cheek. The lift opens and Melinda comes in with Olivia. Thor jumps up to help is wife.

“This seems like a serious conversation.” Melinda kisses Bucky on the cheek and sees the pained expression. “What’s got you two all tied up?”

“Iris is asking questions about Sebby’s strength and wants to know why she doesn’t have abilities too. We don’t know what to tell her, mom.” Bucky hopes that his mom will have some sage advice for them.

She chuckles. “You tell her the truth. Don’t try to sugar coat anything. Tell your daughter the truth.” Oli nods at that. “Do you want us to go?”

Steve stands up, going over to Iris and picking her up. “No, don’t leave. This is a family thing.” Steve sits in an armchair and Bucky kneels down in front of them.

Iris looks a little scared. “Am I in trouble?”

“Oh baby, no, you aren’t in trouble, but you asked a question that will take some explaining.” She leans forward, hugging her Papa. “Do you want to talk about Sebby’s abilities or do you want to go play?”

She looks at the faces of her family and knows, because she’s that smart, she wants to understand. “I wanna talk.”

“Okay then.” Steve puts his big arms around her, hugging her close. “There are different kinds of families out there. You know that, right?” She nods. “Like your daddy and I are your parents, like Nana and Pop Pop are mine.” She nods again. “And Uncle Thor and Aunt Olivia are going to be parents to your new cousin.” She looks over everyone in the room, smiling. “Well, Daddy and I can’t have kids because one of us would have to be a girl for that because only human girls can carry babies.” He glances over at Thor when he says ‘human’ because he remembers the story that Thor told about his brother Loki.

“Just how special is daddy?” Bucky barks a laugh and the rest of the room snickers. Bucky is convinced that someday their daughter will be running the world because she’s so smart.

“He’s very special, but not special enough to have a baby.” Steve blushes and kisses the top of his daughter’s head. Bucky nods at Steve and he takes it from there.

“When we decided to have kids we wanted them to be part of us, so for you to be born one of us needed to donate, your Papa was the donor for you and when we decided to have Sebastian, I donated for him.” They wait to see what her response is.

“What does it mean to donate?” Bucky’s eyes get huge and he looks up at Steve panicked. _That_ is not a conversation he wants to have with his seven year old daughter.

Melinda jumps in at that point because she’s not going to have them explain that in front of her. She did her job having that talk with her own kids and that was hard enough. “Iris sweetie, that’s a conversation for a different day.”

Steve clears his throat and gives her an appreciative look. “The important part is that biologically, you came from Papa and Sebby came from me, but we are both your parents because we love you.”

“So, Papa is really my daddy and you’re really Sebby’s daddy?” She’s turned to look at Steve and his face falls. Everyone can see how hurt Steve and Bucky are, but they also don’t want to make anything worse, so they stay silent.

Steve’s breath hitches and Bucky can see that he’s going to cry. He feels it too, but needs to stay calm for the both of them. “Love Bug, we are both your daddies. We were both there when you were born and we have both loved you from the second we knew we were going to have you.”

Tears streak down Steve’s face and Bucky can tell that he thinks he’s about to lose a little bit of his daughter. She turns in his arms, looking at the tears. “Why are you crying, Daddy?”

He sniffles deeply. “Because I don’t want you to ever think I don’t love you more than anything in this world.”

She reaches up, wiping away the tears. Then she leans against him, snuggling into his strong chest. Sebastian and Morgan come into the room, crawling into Bucky and Melinda’s laps respectively. “Daddy sad?”

Bucky kisses his little cheek. “No, daddy’s scared.” They look up to see Iris make the connection. Melinda had warned them when Iris was three and started asking questions about some of the biology books in her office that she was above average in intelligence. The fact that she’s made the connection between Steve’s fear and this conversation proves it.

She struggles to get turned completely around and throws her arms around Steve’s neck, hugging tightly. Her next words dissolve the room into sniffles. “So, you love me because you want to and not because you have to?”

Steve squeezes her. “Yes, and I’ll always want to.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place two week before the story starts.

Maria Hill works at Stark Industries and has since the fall of SHIELD. She does her job as it is stated on the books and she does the other job that isn’t on the books. Stark and his wife are well aware of both positions because they had set it up. Hill’s job is intel collection and she is as good as anyone, better than most. When blips come across her desk, she researches and finds out if there is something she needs to look into.

For the last six months something has been locked down so tight at the DOD that her curiosity’s peaked and when her curiosity is peaked it means something isn’t kosher. There was an uproar years ago when the Avengers took a ‘vacation’ after being presented with the Accords. The refusal to sign sent Ross into a tizzy. He pushed for the governments of the world to force them to sign, but since they worked through Stark Industries, the governments didn’t have any way to make that happen. 

Every year or so, Ross goes in front of a special session to try and find a way to force the Avengers to be under the governments control. A few years back they had taken another ‘vacation’ and everyone had gone to the Barton and Rogers farms for nearly a month. It was in that time that some miscreant had tried to overthrow T’Challa. It was the only reason that the Avengers came back from their ‘vacation’ and only because T’Challa had contacted them directly.

Hill knows where the orders are coming from because _he_ is an idiot and never covers his tracks as well as he thinks he does. He’s one of those arrogant bastards and believes he’s above everyone else and no one would question his dealings. After the last Accords situation, he got his panties in a pinch and whatever this new project is; he’s in the thick of it.

She doesn’t alert anyone to any of this because she doesn’t know what any of this is…yet. Until she has a clear picture, she keeps it to herself. The most recent program that Tony developed is running and slowly, so very slowly, breaking the coding of the firewall Ross has around the project. To have put this much effort into covering this up, it has to be bad. And bad with Ross means BAD.

‘Agent Hill?’

“Yes FRIDAY?” Hill sits up because something is coming up on her screen.

‘The first level of encryption has been accessed.’

“Let me see.” Information begins scrolling across her screen. “Project Baby Boy? What is this FRIDAY?”

‘Agent Hill, the project name and brief description are all I’ve been able to decrypt.”

Hill leans back in her chair. “Keep working.” She knows she doesn’t have to say that to FRIDAY, but her mind is running in circles. “Project Baby Boy?” It unsettles something in her, but Hill can’t figure out what it is. But the hair on the back of her neck stands up and she’s learned to trust her instincts. Picking up the phone, she makes a call to someone she hasn’t seen in years. It rings twice, she hangs up. Her phone goes off 30 seconds later. “Something isn’t right and it feels…it feels bad.”

“What do you mean bad?”

“Ross has something called Project Baby Boy with so much security that FRIDAY’s been working on it for months.”

“I’m coming in.”

“I’ll have your place ready.”

The description is too vague to get a sense for what it’s really about, but what is clear is something set Ross off five months ago. “FRIDAY, while you’re working on that, I need you to look for some overlap. I need to know where Ross was five months ago and anything that might have been happening during that time that’s noteworthy.”

‘Of course, Agent Hill.’


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Jason set things in motion.

“According to the mother’s Facebook, they are headed to the Museum of Modern Art.” Jason scrolls through the woman’s account. It’s been five days since the botanical gardens and the group hasn’t been anywhere convenient for extraction.

“How fast can you have the team there?” Nick is wearing jeans and a t-shirt, much more casual than normal, but he has to be ready.

“They are on call 24/7, so you say go and we go now.” Nick nods, grabbing his jacket and heads out of the office.

Jason picks up the phone. “It’s a go.” He listens to the other man. “MOMA. And remember, no one gets hurt unless they get in the way and then it’s still a no kill.”

Nick leans his head back on the headrest of the car. If everything goes according to plan, he’ll be a father by this evening. He has no doubt that his father cared about him, in his own way. Did he love him? Nick would never know that for sure because, for his dad, everything was about the cause. The difference was, since he met Jason, way back when they were both at boarding school, he learned what being loved, really loved, by one’s parents looked like. Jason’s father loved him and never missed a chance to let his son know. Nick watched that with envy when he’d go home with Jason for weekends. Nick’s father was always too busy, so weekends with Jason’s family, turned into holidays, that turned into summer vacations. He spent more time with Jason’s family than he did his own. 

The driver stops outside the museum and Nick gives him instructions for after. He pulls his phone and presses call. “Jace, is the plane ready?”

“Yeah, everything’s been set up.” There’s silence for a few seconds. “You know Ross is going to try to find us.”

“I’m aware, but I also know you and trust you, so that shouldn’t be a problem.” He smiles at the chuckle from his best friend and partner. “I think our main concern is going to be the Avengers.”

The silence from the other end extends. “Before we’re even in the air, the kid is going to look like he’s always been yours. The program is set to run when we have him in hand and anyone that does a search will find birth records and family photos of you with Sebastian.”

“The strike team has the sedative, yeah?” Nick doesn’t want to sedate the kid, but they have to get him out with as little fanfare as possible.

“Yeah, and they know the amount to use. It should make him groggy, but not knock him out completely.” Jason knows that Nick is worried, he is too, but it was his job to get this set up and he did everything to ready them. “Nick, the only unknown variable is the where. There are 15 agents in that museum and each one of them is prepared to take the kid. When the window opens, you need to be ready.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romantic interlude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a long time, but I finally finished it. All chapters are going up today.

Bucky rolls on top of his husband, kissing down his sternum. He slides his hands up Steve’s sides and back down to grip his hips. He never gets tired of hearing Steve let go and just be in the moment. He was never like this before, when they were kids. He always thought he had to be in control of himself. Now, with Bucky, he just releases all of that and exists in the moment. “What do you want, love?”

Steve is panting and can’t form words, so he lets his hands caress down Bucky’s back, in between his cheeks and strokes over his hole. “Buck…”

Bucky’s been torturing him for nearly an hour, not letting him rush this. The kids are with his mom and he’s not wasting any of this free time they have. “You want inside me, Steve? You want me screaming your name?” Steve just nods. “Alright love, it’s a good thing I opened myself up while playing with you.” Steve just groans and throws Bucky onto his back. “You are eager, aren’t you?”

Steve’s eyes are half-crazed. “You are a menace to decent society, Jacob Rogers.”

Bucky cackles. “Says the guy that’s about to shove his dick up my ass.” And then Steve does and Bucky screams, just like Steve wanted. Even though Buck tortured him, getting him right to the edge, but not letting him topple over, he doesn’t want this to go too fast. His strokes are measured, forceful, but slow. If he’s going to go over, Steve’s taking Bucky with him. His lips seek out Bucky’s skin, every part he can touch, his hands clutch, hold, and caress. Bucky breathes his name, over and over, not asking for anything, just letting Steve know he’s there, riding the wave with him.

They lay facing each other after, noses nearly touching and Bucky grinning. “What are you smiling about?”

“Oh I don’t know, just thinking about when we were kids and I would look at you thinking I’d never seen anything as pretty as you.” Bucky will never, ever not get a kick out of the fact that he can make Steve blush that way.

“You’re kinda sappy.” Bucky leans in, kissing Steve lightly.

“I get to be as sappy as I want.” Bucky sighs. “You know we have to get up. We’re meeting everyone at the museum in a couple of hours.” Steve nods, but leans in for another kiss. 

“I know. I hope your parents had fun with the kids.” Bucky rolls his eyes.

“They are having a ball with them and we’re probably going to find out, by their hyperactivity, that my parents only fed them desserts while they had them.” There’s a ping from Bucky’s phone. Rolling over, Steve scoots up behind him, chest to back, and kisses along Bucky’s shoulder while he reads the text. “Oh god.”

“What?”

“My parents, the kids, and Oli are already at the museum.” Steve starts to jump up, but Bucky holds Steve’s arm around his waist. “She says they are having some kind of interactive thing just for kids and wanted them to get to do it. She says to meet at the time we agreed on and included a picture.” He holds the phone up and shows him the picture of Iris, Sebastian and Morgan playing in finger paints. Olivia is sitting with them, looking tired and uncomfortable, but still smiling.

“We should probably go a little early anyway.” Bucky nods and they get up to shower.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kidnapping

Nick was expecting this to be more difficult that it is. When he arrives, he puts the earwig in and finds that all agents are already in place and that the kids aren’t with their dad’s, but with the grandparents and pregnant aunt, he makes sure the team knows. Without the dads or any of the honorary aunts and uncles, there’s no one that’s going to think twice about someone following them, they don’t have the training to even notice.

The second floor educational area is large and open, but the only bathroom is in the hall outside and near the stairs. Nick doesn’t believe in fate or signs, but it’s almost like something or someone is making everything fall into place. It’s mostly a waiting game now and Nick has all the time in the world.

Almost as though fate is smiling on him, the aunt gets up to go to the bathroom and Sebastian needs to go too. As they enter the restroom, one of Nick’s female agents goes in after. As Olivia and Sebastian come out of the stall, the agent bends down to talk to Sebastian, putting a hand on his arm. Olivia tries to pull him away, not one for strangers that talk to little kids in the bathroom, but the agent has already slipped the sedation pad onto Sebby’s arm. 

He becomes immediately groggy and Oli tries to steady him, pulling the pad from his arm, screaming at the woman. Oli goes to knock her away, when she’s pushed, landing half on her stomach. The screech is force out of Olivia and she grabs for her stomach. The pain is immediate and before she can call out, the woman is gone with Sebastian.

Resting for a few seconds, trying to breathe through the pain, Olivia pulls herself across the bathroom floor, gripping the tile with her nails, to where her bag fell. Once she has it in her hand, a pain intense enough to make her freeze hits full force, she folds in on herself, and she screams again. The door opens and a woman sees her, flying from the room calling for help. Something is wrong, Oli can feel it. Pulling her bag closer, she gets her phone. 

The agent comes out of the bathroom, carrying a nearly unconscious Sebastian. She passes him off to Nick and disappears into the crowd that’s gathered around the bathroom. The car should be waiting outside the 53rd street entrance and when Nick breaks into the sunlight, he sees his driver with the door open. No one thinks twice about a dad carrying a sleeping baby and many smile kindly at him. He slides into the backseat. “Get us to the helipad.”

They are away from the museum before police can show up. Sebastian is still a little out and that’s okay, it will make transport easier. At the helipad, Jason is waiting and they exit the car and head to the chopper. Jason climbs in, taking Sebastian from Nick. Nick gets in, taking the boy back and letting Jason cover the boy’s ears with noise canceling headphones.

“We go?” Nick nods at the little boy. “But…daddy.” Then he’s out again.

“How long to the airstrip?” Nick watches the boy sleep. He’s really a pretty child, like his father. That makes Nick frown. Because Steve Rogers isn’t his father anymore.

“About 15 minutes. We have clearance into Canada already. I contacted the pilot and he’s ready to take off as soon as we’re on board.” Nick nods and thanks his lucky stars that he has a friend like Jason. Jason pulls an envelope from his breast pocket and hands it to Nick. “All the papers are in there: birth certificate, passport, everything you’ll need to get through the security check.” 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath

Melinda picks up her phone, seeing that it’s Olivia and chuckles thinking that she’s having trouble standing up from the toilet. “Yes?”

The voice is a grinding whisper. _“Help…”_

Melinda bolts across the educational classroom, leaving Marcus with Iris and Morgan. “Melinda!”

She races into the bathroom and finds what she feared. Olivia is on the floor in considerable pain, clutching at her stomach. “Baby, what happened?” She’s kneeling next to her, pulling up her phone to call 911. 

The bathroom door bangs open again and Marcus comes in with the kids. “Olivia!” He’s on the floor on her other side as Melinda completes the call. “Sweetheart, stay with us.”

Iris looks terrified and Morgan looks confused and about ready to cry. Through her pain, Olivia looks up and sees their faces. Hitting her dad’s leg, she points. He goes to gather the kids into his arms, trying to reassure them that everything is fine when he doesn’t know if that’s the case. Melinda holds Olivia against her as they wait then it strikes her and she looks around panicked. “Sebastian!”

Olivia pulls her mother down and whispers brokenly what happened, keeping her voice low enough that Iris and Morgan can’t hear. Marcus starts looking through the stalls when Melinda grabs his hand. She calls 911 again. The bathroom door bangs open a third time and a security guard comes in with a medical kit. The crowd outside the bathroom tries to get a look inside. Olivia begins to sob.

Steve, Bucky, Tony and Natasha head up the stairs to the second floor just as Olivia is being wheeled out of the bathroom by EMT’s. Melinda is talking to a police detective crying and Marcus is holding Iris and Morgan with tears streaming down his face.

When Melinda sees her son, she runs to him, hysterical. “They took Sebastian. They took Sebastian.”

Steve and Bucky’s world goes silent.

Tony taps the side of his glasses and starts scanning the area and Natasha goes to talk to the police. They know who she is immediately and fill her in on what happen. Marcus brings Morgan to her father and Tony holds her so tight that she whimpers. Steve takes Iris and pulls Bucky to him. Wild, haunted eyes look up at him and Jacob grabs his shirt. “You have to find him! You have to do whatever it is you do and bring him home! You have to be Cap and bring him home!” Bucky dissolves in a panic to the floor and pulls Steve and Iris with him. 

Iris looks around and understands that her brother is gone. She thinks about the conversation with her daddy and papa the day before. Her brother has been taken, that much she knows. Her Aunt Oli and Uncle Thor’s baby is in trouble, that much she heard. Her Papa is more upset than she’s ever seen him and her Daddy is not talking, but he is crying, that much she can see. She just doesn’t know what is going to happen next and that’s scary.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team takes control

Tony calls Thor and tells him what happened and where Olivia is being taken. “Thor, if you can get any details out of her about what happened…”

“I understand, friend, but first I must make sure she is taken care of.” The line goes silent and Tony hangs up. Less than a minute later his phone rings again. “I am at the hospital. I will call when I know something more. How are Steven and Jacob?”

Tony can’t help the tears and doesn’t even try to hide how this is pulling him apart. “They aren’t well. We need to get them back to the apartment and regroup.”

“I will call soon.” The line goes dead again and Tony hugs his daughter thinking the selfish thought that any parent would have at this moment. 

He presses a button on his phone. The line clicks. “Cap, we need you. Something bad has happened.” Tony spends the next couple of minutes telling Sam the situation.

“I’m on my way.”

The police try to talk to Steve and Jacob, but they can’t seem to comprehend what they’re being asked. Jacob looks like he’s checked out and Steve looks completely devastated. Iris looks up at the officer. “I don’t think they can talk right now.”

The detective smiles sadly at her. “I see that. Were you here when your brother was taken?”

“I was painting with Pop Pop and Morgan.” She points over to her grandfather and then to Morgan in Tony’s arms. “Aunt Oli took Sebby to the bathroom and he didn’t come ba…” It hits her then and she starts to cry.

Something about his daughter’s tears pulls Steve out of it. “Love Bug, ssshhhhh…everything’s going to be okay.” He hugs her as tight as he can with his other arm around his husband. Just as he’s about to ask the detective to let them be for a little while, Natasha comes over.

“Detective Henderson, can we talk for a minute.” He nods and follows her over to Tony. She looks at him with that dangerous, Black Widow stare. The detective tries to act like it doesn’t bother him, but she sees him straighten and sway back. “What I’m about to tell you **_will not_** go into your report and if you repeat it, many things in your life will go wrong.” He acts like he’s going to challenge her threat, but changes his mind. He nods. “The only way they could have gotten him out of here is if they drugged him and for them to do that, they had to know.” She looks at Tony and he goes from upset to furious in record time.

“Know what?” The detective can tell there’s a silent conversation going on between the two Avengers.

“Sebastian is Steve…Captain Rogers’s biological son.” She waits to see if he makes the connection and the minute the light bulb goes off, she continues. “They had to not only know he was going to be here, but the right amount to sedate him.” She looks back at Tony. “Someone gave them information from his birth.” She sees that Tony doesn’t look surprised by that. “Stark?”

“We found a leak at Stark Industries. It’s being dealt with as we speak.” He looks back at the detective. “If this information gets out, that little boy will never be safe when we bring him home.”

The detective nods. “I don’t know anything about it and neither will anyone else.”

Sam comes running up the stairs and finds Steve and Jacob huddled on the ground. He ignores everyone else and sits with them. “Hey man.” Steve makes eye contact. “What can I do?”

“I need to get them home…back to the apartment.” Steve hands Iris over to Sam.

“Hey little miss, how are you doing?” She buries her face in Sam’s neck.

“Are you going to bring Sebby home?” Sam crumbles.

“You’re damn right I am.” He kisses her cheek.

Steve stands with Jacob in his arms and they leave the museum. Outside he turns to his mother and father-in-law. “You should go to the hospital and see if Oli is okay.”

They each hug Steve and kiss Jacob, who still hasn’t acknowledged anyone around him except to burrow deeper into Steve’s chest. “We’ll call when we know something.”

Steve nods and Sam leads them to a SUV manned by Sharon Carter. Steve sits stoic in the back seat with his husband in his lap and his daughter cuddled into his side. Sam and Sharon watch them in the mirror, but no one moves or speaks. “The other agent will make sure that Melinda and Marcus get to the hospital and Happy has Tony, Nat, and Morgan.” The two cars pull into the underground parking garage at the building.

Sam pulls Iris out of the car. Just as Steve is about to climb out with Jacob, he looks up at Steve. “Get the shields, Steve. Get it and find these people and kill them all. I don’t care what you have to do, just bring him home.” Steve nods and gets out of the car. Jacob stands for the first time since they got to the museum and looks like a man that has nothing left to lose.


	13. 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stark Industries leak

Maria paces around the Stark penthouse, Pepper watches her wondering what all this is going to turn into. She’s just thankful that they figured all this out before Ross could do anything. The lift opens and Nick Fury comes striding in. “Mrs. Stark, it’s good to see you again. Agent Hill, this better be as bad as you think. I was enjoying my retirement.”

Maria hands him a pad. “It’s worse. FRIDAY broke the encrypted firewall and also did a little more digging for me.”

“Alright, walk me through this.” He looks over at Pepper who is calmly sitting on the sofa drinking a cup of tea. “Mrs. Stark, if you have something else you need to be…”

Before he can finish, Pepper’s hand goes up silencing him. “Shut up, Nick and read the file.”

His eyebrow goes up and he sits to read through. After nearly an hour, he looks up. “Jesus fucking Christ, you’ve got to be kidding me.” He gets up going to the bar and pouring a drink. “Who is this employee at S.I.?”

“You mean soon to be ex-employee? He’s on his way.” Nick puts two and two together and realizes why Pepper is here. S.I. is her baby and she’s going to do the interrogation herself. He doesn’t know what good that will do since she’s just an executive and has no formal training for this kind of thing.

The lift opens and a cocky young man enters. Pepper stands, presses something on the center of her sternum and is suddenly encased in a blue and gold suit. “When the hell did that happen?” Nick looks over at Maria who shrugs. 

Pepper raises her hand, and fires a repulsor beam at the young man. He hits the wall by the lift and Rescue strides over to pick him up. A foot off the ground and the collar of his shirt in her grip, she snarls. “Who did you sell the intel to?” He starts to make a plea of innocence. “Don’t you dare lie to me you weasel. You tell me right now and I won’t drop you off the side of this building.”

Nick and Maria look at each other. “I like her like this.”

The man gives her the name and Maria checks it against the file. She nods and Pepper drops him. “By the way, you’re fired and Stark Industries lawyers will be in touch about your breech of the non-disclosure agreement you signed.”

The lift doors open and the man is pushed back into the penthouse by the group from the museum. Tony stops when he sees his wife in Rescue and quickly makes the connection between Hill’s file and the intel sold. He didn’t tell Steve and Bucky because he thought they had it under control and caught it before anything could happen. Today proved him wrong.

He grabs the man by the arm and slams him into the wall. Rescue melts away and Pepper watches as Tony gets into the man’s face. Pepper has seen her husband in many crisis situations, but she’s never seen him this out of control.

Before she can speak, Tony growls. “Before you were just selling information against our company, now you’re an accessory to kidnapping.”

Pepper looks over the group that’s missing Olivia, Melinda, Marcus, and Sebastian. “Tony?” He presses something on his wrist. Within minutes the lift opens again and Stark Security comes out.

“Take him to holding and don’t let him leave or talk to anyone until I come down.” They nod and take a terrified man into their custody. Tony looks back at his wife, Nick and Maria. “We have a situation and we need everyone here as soon as they can get here. Thor is at the hospital with Oli. Everyone else needs to be here now.”

Pepper takes a deep breath. “FRIDAY, Avengers Emergency.”

Tony hugs her close. “We need to get all rooms set up for everyone.” She nods and starts keying in instructions for FRIDAY.


	14. 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hill fills everyone in.

As members of the Avengers began arriving there’s a flurry of activity, the buzz of voices, but Steve and Jacob sit, holding each other and Iris. Hill only wants to go through the file once, so she’s been holding off for everyone else.

Steve and Jacob feel like they’re caught in slow motion while everyone else is in fast forward. Jacob clings to Steve’s arm with his other wrapped around their daughter. Steve can’t let go of either of them for fear one or both will disappear too. He’s not sure when he started crying, but doesn’t care enough to stop himself. He can’t be a superhero right now, his baby boy is missing and his husband and daughter don’t need heroes, they need Steve. Nothing is making any sense and he can’t distinguish one voice from another. Jacob is in a state of shock and Steve knows he’s somewhere lost in his head. He’ll need to have Jacob checked out by a doctor at some point if he doesn’t come out of it. Iris snuggles in closer, pulling her Papa’s arm around her more tightly.

A figure sits on the coffee table in front of him, but they’re blurry from tears. When the voice speaks, Steve tries to focus, but it’s hard to let anything in except the feel of his husband and daughter. “Steve, I need you to try to focus for me.”

Steve’s head jerks. “Uh…what…”

Tony comes into focus. Then the man that Steve has known for years, does something unexpected. He reaches up, cupping Steve’s face, wipes away the tears, but doesn’t remove his hands. Steve sees that he’s crying along with them. “We’re going to fix this, if we have to turn the world upside down to do it. Do you understand what I’m saying? We will not rest until our boy is home with his family.” Tony looks up at the room where everyone, even Thor, is watching the exchange. When Olivia had been taken into emergency surgery, she’d pulled Thor in, kissed him and told him to get his ass to the team and find their nephew. She also handed him the patch from Sebby’s arm. Thor stands behind the sofa with a hand on Steve’s shoulder, nodding for Tony to continue. “No other missions. Nothing else matters right now, but bringing Sebastian home and making sure whoever took him is wiped off the face of the planet. Are we clear?” 

There are mumbles of agreement and nods of affirmation. Most of the faces in the room are either visibly upset, or they are blank of expression. All except Fury and Hill. “You can’t just make the decision to ground the Avengers until this is solved.”

Tony stands up, squaring off against Fury. Morgan comes running over and Tony picks her up. “Understand this Fury, this isn’t one of your SHIELD missions, this is family. We’re going to go over the file Hill has, we’re going to regroup, and then we are going to burn the world down if that’s what it takes.” Fury raises his hands in deference to Stark. Fury doesn’t have connections to people like this group seems to, so he knows that he’ll lose any battle against this situation. “Hill what did you bring us?”

Hill brings the files up on the screen. Steve tries to comprehend what he’s seeing since he knows that Jacob isn’t in any shape to pay attention. He tries to go into his Captain America persona, but it’s too hard and his heart aches too much to try. He’s never been this way before. That isn’t true, he was this way once before and he tightens his hold on Jacob. 

Just as Hill starts to go through the information, a jet lands on the roof. Steve can make out the words ‘Just in Case’ painted on the side. The balcony doors are still open from earlier in the day and when Clint comes strolling in with Laura and the kids, Steve nudges Jacob. Jacob looks up in the same lethargic way he’s been since the museum, but seeing Clint brings him back enough.

Iris runs to Laura, who scoops her up, hugging her close. Clint goes straight to the two men. He hugs them both with equal vigor. After, he wraps his hands around their heads, pulling them in resting foreheads to his temple. “We’re going to fix this. Doesn’t matter what we have to do. We’re fixing this.” He turns to Hill and the rest of the room that seems surprised by his arrival. “Get to it. What do we know?”

Hill takes center stage and starts the briefing. “About five months ago, Secretary Ross was leaked information about the boy. I did some digging and found that there were articles added to the Accords that we didn’t know about. If the Avengers had signed, Steve would have been taken into custody and genetic material would have been used to recreate the serum.”

Tony sits heavily in a chair, holding Morgan like a lifeline. Pepper comes over, leaning over the back of the chair to peck him on the cheek. “That son-of-a-bitch.” Pepper comes around, sitting on the arm of the chair.

“My thoughts exactly. When the Avengers didn’t sign, he lost that leverage. Five months ago, Jacob was in New York at the same time as a United Nations Assembly.” Jacob looks up confused. “There are pictures, these pictures…” She brings up the photos of Jacob, Melinda and the kids outside of the United Nations building. “You were there for sightseeing and the security cameras caught this image.” Jacob’s completely focused now. Sitting up, leaning forward, and focused on the pictures. “Ross paid a Stark Industries employee for information. He is being held downstairs currently pending charges of accessory to kidnapping. Ross put together a project he called ‘Baby Boy’ and hired this man,” She brings up another picture. He seems familiar, but Steve can’t place him. “This is Nikolai Lance.” The whole room goes still. Tony nods and she continues. “Nikolai has finances at his disposal, old family money and a wide network of contacts. It is believed that he and this man,” The next picture comes up. “Jason Lance were paid to pull off this kidnapping.”

Natasha stares at the pictures of the men. “Are they brothers? They don’t share any similarities.”

Hill nods. She didn’t include this in the file, this was the extra digging that she did with FRIDAY’s help. “They aren’t brothers. In fact, after checking, the Lance family only has one child and that’s Jason Lance.” The room starts buzzing with questions; only Steve and Jacob are silent because they aren’t processing the information yet.

“What are you not telling us, Hill?” Clint sits on the coffee table in front of Steve and Jacob, like a shield.

“Nikolai, is not a Lance. After tracing it back, he took the name almost ten years ago.”

“The only reason someone changes their name is to hide something.” Wanda has been quiet this whole time, but believes there is something bigger happening.

“In this case, he wanted to hide himself.” She clicks another picture and the room goes eerily quiet. It’s a man most of them know and a little boy. “Nikolai Lance is really Nikolai Pierce, son of Alexander Pierce.” She sees Steve go ridged. “As of,” She checks her pad. “three minutes ago, the boy has not been…”

Natasha who has been mostly quiet this whole time, jumps in. “His name is Sebastian. He’s not just a boy, he’s our boy. Call him by his goddamn name!”

Hill looks flustered. “I’m sorry. As of a few minutes ago, Ross still has not taken possession of Sebastian.”

“Are you sure? He could have been passed off to one of his flunkies.” It’s the first thing that Steve’s been able to piece together.

“We’re sure. Everyone that is involved with this project is being watched.” She takes a deep breath. “I don’t think Pierce is going to turn him over. I think he’s going to keep him.”

Steve’s lips form a thin line. “He wants to use him.” Jacob looks at his husband, knowing there’s a story in this that he isn’t privy to.

“That’s what I’m thinking. Right now FRIDAY is tracking money. She’s going to track every shell and dummy corportation that Pierce and Lance are connected to. If we can find out how they got Sebastian out of the city, we can figure out where they may have taken him.” She shuts down the screen as the lift opens admitting Secretary Ross. None of them know how he found out about any of this, but with his fingers in so many pies and working outside the scope of his office, they aren’t really surprised.


	15. 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter takes over and gets some help from Hulk.

The sound that comes out of Winter can only be described as feral. Steve sees his sweet Jacob change. Bucky is gone. Jacob is gone. Winter is the only thing left. As he moves towards the Secretary of State, the agents with Ross start to draw weapons, but they are immobilized by Avengers who have no use for the man. Winter slams the Secretary into the wall, lodging his forearm against the man’s neck. Steve kneels holding Iris to his chest and sees Tony and the others back away, letting Winter do what he wants. Not because Winter scares them, but because Ross deserves anything the ex-assassin does to him. “WHERE IS MY SON?”

“Take your hands off me. Stark, get him off me.” Ross struggles to remove Winter’s arm from his neck. It doesn’t budge. He probably believes that Tony will feel some kind of loyalty to the government, but instead finds Iron Man with a glowing gauntlet pointed at him.

“Tell the man what he wants to know or find out what happens when you really lose control of a situation.” Every person in the room, joins Tony. Steve stands back at a loss with Iris’s arms wrapped around his leg. He’s never been without a plan, but can’t care whether his Snow Angel kills the man or not.

“I don’t know anything about this.” Hill smirks at the bastard of a man and brings the project details up on the screen again.

“You want to try that again, Mr. Secretary?” His eyes go huge when he sees what they have.

“I don’t have him.” Winter pulls back, gripping the man around the neck.

“You were going to take him. You were going to treat him like property. You are a monster.” With each statement the hand around Ross’s neck tightens. 

Ross makes a slight move towards his coat, but Bruce is there before he can pull the gun. Hulk wants to come out and Bruce wants to let him. Winter looks at the man with heart break in his eyes. “Tell us everything you know. Everything and anything that will bring my son home.”

Ross snorts. “Or what? You’ll kill me? None of you have the guts.”

Bruce looks over at his family. “I’m sorry for this.” He lets Hulk out and everyone backs up. Winter holds his ground and looks up at Hulk. “Hulk smash.”

Winter looks at Bruce and nods. Hulk picks up the man, who looks up at him truly terrified and heads to the balcony. He hangs Ross off the side of the building while his personal agents try to break free to help him. Natasha pulls a knife and holds it to one of the agent’s necks. “You work for a man that had a little boy kidnapped so he could use him as a lab rat. So he could take his blood and tissue and create an army. What kind of men are you that you would willingly work with that?” Both agents look at the screen and back at the Avengers.

“Is Uncle Hulk going to hurt that man?” Steve nods. He’s never lied to his daughter before, and he’s not going to now. “Why?”

Winter comes over, kneeling next to his daughter. “Because he’s the one that paid to have Sebastian taken away from us.” She glares out at the balcony.


	16. 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter and Iris

Steve takes Winter and Iris to their apartment. Iris can see something different about her Papa, but she doesn’t know how to ask. Once there, they sit quietly for a few minutes. “Daddy, can I have something to drink?”

Steve gets up and heads into the kitchen. He starts fixing a glass of juice as Iris goes to her Papa and climbs into his lap. Winter folds her into a hug. “We will bring him home.”

She doesn’t turn around, but clutches Winter’s arm, tucking them around her middle. “I know. You and Daddy will fix it.” She turns and looks up at him. Reaching out, she runs a finger down his cheek. “Have you always lived inside my Papa?”

Winter looks surprised, but then his face softens. “I am your Papa.”

“But you’re different.” She leans up even more and looks into his eyes. “In there.”

Steve comes back in with a cup. “Here you go, Love Bug.”

She kisses Winter on the cheek and sits on the floor by the coffee table. Winter watches as she starts to put things together. His daughter obviously can’t understand how her Papa is like three different people and he wouldn’t even know how to explain it to her. She can; however, see the difference. “Daddy are you and Papa going to have to go get Sebby?”

“Yes, baby girl, we are. We’re going to leave you here with Aunt Pepper and Aunt Laura when we do.” She nods and drinks the juice slowly, obviously thinking through what’s happening.

“Which Papa is going to go with you?” She takes another drink, looking up at Winter.

Steve looks over at Winter. “This Papa is going to go with me.” 

The lift opens and Clint comes in carrying a duffle. “I went to your place and got a few things. Tony wants to see you in his lab.” There are two labs on this floor with added security since more of the Avengers suits are developed here and not at the Compound.

Clint kisses the top of Iris’s head and then sits in front of Winter. “I brought everything I thought you would want. If it’s not there, then I couldn’t find it.” He lays a hand on Winter’s knee. “Are you okay to do this?”

“I will do whatever is needed to bring my son home.” Clint nods. “You are retired. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“What kind of crazy ass question is that? Sebby is family and family takes care of each other.” The lift opens again and Nate comes in. He sits next to Iris and puts his arm around her. She leans into her friend, sighing with a sniffle.


	17. 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iris is a genius.

It’s been over a week and the local authorities, who have been helping the government agencies, have pulled back. According to Detective Henderson, after that length of time the odds of finding Sebastian alive are next to zero. He says this to Natasha, but also tells her that he doesn’t believe that and will continue to keep her abreast of any information that happens across his desk. 

The government agencies don’t have much hope either, but one thing they did right, they removed Secretary Ross from his position and are currently pursuing charges against him. The man that sold him the information is already in jail, facing multiple federal charges. He’s been trying to bargain his way out, but with Tony’s encouragement they aren’t taking any of the plea deals his defense has been presenting. Tony’s spends a few nights scrubbing the Stark Industry computers of any information that might have been there about his family. Pepper calls numerous people in and with Fury’s help insists that they understand where their loyalties should rest.

None of this helps the team and especially doesn’t help Steve and Winter. Since the kidnapping Winter is the constant presence. He’s just as affectionate with Steve, who doesn’t really care because all three are part of the man he loves, and Winter dotes on Iris, reading her stories, telling her enough of what’s happening to keep her satisfied, but not so much that she’ll be too worried. She knows it’s her Papa and doesn’t seem to care that he carries himself a little differently and sometimes his eyes go cold. When that happens, she comes over, crawls into his lap and kissing his cheek. 

There’s been someone working every angle since all this started. Hill and Natasha are chasing down every lead they can find about the Pierce and Lance finances. Tony, Sam, Bruce, and Wanda have been working the escape route, but once they left Canadian air space it’s like they disappeared. Fury is using every back channel he has, but no one seems to know anything about Nick Pierce or Nick Lance. Steve and Winter go through every file that’s brought to them, looking for things that the others may have missed.

Steve stands on the balcony, holding a sleeping Iris, while the lights of the city twinkle around him. He knows he needs to put her to bed, but tonight he doesn’t want to let her go. Tonight he’s trying to stop his mind from going to a place that he doesn’t want it to go. 

“I know what you’re thinking.” Steve turns to find Winter watching him. 

“What am I thinking, Snow Angel?” Winter flushes at that, but comes over, putting a hand on Iris’s back.

“You’re asking yourself what do we do if he never comes home.” Tears well up in Steve’s eyes for many reasons, but mostly because if he’s thinking it, then Winter is too.

“I don’t want to think it, but it keeps popping into my head.” Winter wraps his arms around both of them.

“I’ve thought it too. Then I remind myself that we’ll never stop looking, so eventually he will come home. I don’t care if it takes years. He’s our son and nothing can change that. Nothing ever will.” They don’t notice that Iris’s eyes have opened and she’s listening to their conversation.

“Papa Snow?” Winter smiles down at her. She started calling him that after catching Steve using the endearment reserved for Winter.

“Yes, Love Bug?”

“You said that these bad people want Sebby.” Winter nods. “And that they don’t want to hurt him. So this man that took him wanted him for a son.”

“That’s what we think.” Steve answers because the idea of someone else raising Sebastian for a nefarious endgame is enough to send Winter into an angry tirade.

“So, he’s with a family right now and not being hurt?” Her little bottom lip quivers and her Daddy and Papa hug her close between them.

“Oh baby girl, of course he’s not being hurt.” Steve kisses her forehead.

Winter stops, looking up at Steve. The wheels are turning and Steve sees that he’s onto something. “What?”

Winter kisses the back of Iris’s head, running for the lift. “Our daughter is a genius!”

After being frozen in confusion for a couple of minutes, Steve bolts after his husband. Iris looks up at him in the lift. “Did I do something?”

Once it hits him, he kisses her cheeks over and over. “Love Bug, you just gave us an idea.”

By the time Steve gets to the conference room that they’ve set up as headquarters, Winter is rifling through files. Nat’s trying to get him to talk, but all his focus is on what he’s looking for. “If you just tell me what it is…”

Winter doesn’t stop and Nat looks like she’s going to clock him in the head, so Steve speaks up. “He’s trying to find the mother.”

Hill rolls her eyes. “We’ve already ruled out Pierce having a wife or girlfriend.”

“Not a stand in for Sebastian.” Winter finds the file he’s looking for. “Pierce’s mother.”


	18. 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper and Steve have a conversation about Winter.

They’ve been working for another a week. Every lead seems to be a dead-end, but they aren’t giving up. Steve takes Iris to the kitchen for lunch and is confronted with Pepper. She watches him move around the kitchen, fixing food and Iris watches Pepper watching her Daddy. She’s seen that look before, she knows it means that Aunt Pepper wants to talk to her Daddy, so when he sits the plate in front of her, she grabs it and goes into the living room.

Steve watches her go as she casts and looks over her shoulder. “Smart kid.”

Pepper chuckles. “Yes, I would say so.” Pepper turns back to Steve. “How are you doing?”

Steve leans on the counter, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I keep going for her and Winter.”

“I’m glad you brought that up.” He looks up. “How are you handling Winter being out all the time?”

She goes to him, hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “It isn’t like that.” She comes to stand in front of him. Steve stares at the floor for a minute, then looks up. “Everyone thinks that just because he’s Winter, that he’s not Jacob and Bucky too. That’s not how this works. He’s all three, all the time, he just…he’s…Winter is protecting all of him right now.”

Pepper narrows her eyes, thinking through what Steve just said. “So, when he’s Winter…wait…how do you know?”

“It’s simple. When I look in his eyes, I know who’s looking back, but they’re all there. It’s just that right now, Winter is more capable for what has to be done, so that part of his personality needs to come to the surface. Pepper, it’s…he’s always the man I love.” She smiles at him and his is pained, but returned. Everything hurts right now and his love for his family is great, but one of his family, his little boy, is out there somewhere.

“I’m sorry.” She didn’t mean to act like Winter is someone completely different, she just doesn’t understand how all this works. “And why do you call him Snow Angel?” 

He goes to the door of the kitchen and watches Iris with Nate. “Because he’s my angel, my savior. He always has been and always will be.”

“Oh Steve…” She comes to him, hugging him. “We’re going to get him back.”

Steve tucks Pepper against him, holding on for dear life. “We have to.”

Pepper stays with the kids when Morgan comes in wanting food. Steve heads back to the conference room. Winter is pacing, frustrated. “NO! This isn’t right!”

Steve goes to him, pulling him into a bone crushing hug. “Sssshhhh, it’s okay.”

Winter’s arms come up, embracing Steve tightly. “It’s not okay! Nothing is okay…” And for the first time, the Winter Soldier cries, great, heaving sobs. Steve lets him because he needs this break. He needs to let himself feel this.

After he’s calm, Steve finds out that the mother was a dead-end too. The team filters out, leaving the two men alone. “I was so sure it was connected to the mother.”

“I know, but even if we found her, it’s no guarantee that it would have led us anywhere.” They’d tracked the woman that was listed as Nick Pierce’s mother and after putting her under surveillance, she seemed to have no contact with her son. Winter spins the picture of her on the table, thinking. There’s something, but he can’t put his finger on what it is. Sitting up, he pulls over a picture of Alexander Pierce. He’d drive a knife through the picture, but that wouldn’t help anyone right now.

Then he reaches for a picture of Nick Pierce and puts it between the other two. “Doesn’t it seem strange to you that Alexander Pierce is blond haired, blue-eyed, the woman believed to be his mother is light brown haired and blue-eyed and Nikolai Pierce is dark haired and brown-eyed?”

Steve takes the photos and looks at them not like a soldier, but like an artist. “Holy shit! She’s not the mother! Why list this woman if…”

“Because Hydra always keeps the facts off the record. Fifty percent of the information is true, the other fifty percent is how they control everyone.” Winter looks up at Steve. “We have to find the mother, the real mother.”

Once that information is known, the team comes back in with a new objective. Those that are tech savvy start digging into Pierce’s past. Alexander kept much of his life under wraps, but when you take a team, like the Avengers, and their little boy’s life is at stake, nothing is safe, no matter how well Hydra hid the information.


	19. 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Jason

“I don’t understand why he isn’t opening up. It’s been two weeks and he still won’t show you any affection.” Jason watches the little boy, sitting on a blow up sea horse, in the kiddy pool. He just sits atop the horse staring off into the distance. He doesn’t play, he barely talks, and when Nick tries to reach out and show affection, the little boy pulls away.

“Give him more time. Within a month he’ll be like he’s always been here.” Nick turns, patting Jase’s shoulder. “Once that happens, nothing will stop us.”

Jason nods, but he doesn’t really believe the time-table. Katarina comes through the front door, smiling with bags from the shops in town. “How is our littlest weapon doing?”

Jason frowns and wonders why Nick would bring them here. The woman is a menace in every sense of the word; from her time spent in the Red Room, to volunteering as a surrogate. “He’s still adjusting.”

“Well, if you let me start training him, he will be ready to kill by the time he’s 8.” Nick chuckles, but Jason doesn’t see anything funny about her words.

“Yes Mother, I know, but we are going to do this my way.” She heads up the stairs, seeming unaffected by his words.

Later, when Sebastian is taking a nap, Jason sits with Nick in the library. “I was doing some reading.”

Nick looks up over the computer screen on his desk. “That’s never a good thing.” He winks at his friend.

“Asshole.” He sits the tablet on his lap, resting his chin in his hand. “Hydra had the perfect weapon. It’s too bad it died in the 80’s.”

“Hydra never had the perfect weapon. They arrogantly thought they did, but he was never fully theirs.”

Jason gets up, walking around the desk and leaning on it next to Nick. “What do you mean?”

“The only way to make the perfect weapon is to condition it from early childhood. You have to use those formative years to mold the weapon the way you want it. For instance, I want Sebastian to be perfect, so during this time when he’s most susceptible, I educated him the way I want. He’ll do what I ask of him because he loves me. That isn’t what they had.” Nick leans back in the chair, looking up at Jason.

“So, what did they have before?” Nick huffs a laugh and Jason watches the play of emotions across his face.

“They had a mess. Hydra was always too arrogant for its own good. My dad was no different. If you read the files you know that the Soldier would start to come out of conditioning talking about his best friend.” Now he really chuckles. “I mean what the hell did they think was going to happen when they took Captain America’s best friend? Jesus, it’s like they wanted to fail.” Nick drops his head onto the back of the chair. “No, they did it the wrong way, but we have a chance to do it right.”

“And kill Captain America.” Jason gets up, going back to his chair.

“And his husband and their daughter and everyone else on that team. I want them all wiped out.”

Jason looks up. “For Hydra?”

“Fuck Hydra, this is for my dad.” Nick goes back to working and Jason picks the tablet up again.


	20. 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The find the mother

Natasha looks through the pictures from her contact in Russia. It’s the only surviving photos of the ‘graduating’ classes from the Red Room. She goes back and forth between the photos of the girls, taking age into consideration, and the photo of Nikolai Pierce. She’s circled three girls that match the coloration and now has to narrow it down to facial structure. She’s tired, so very tired. They’ve worked non-stop for nearly three weeks.

Clint comes in, carrying coffee and sits one in front of her. “Bless you.”

He leans against the table, looking at her face. “You’re going to have to sleep soon. If we have a breakthrough you have to be ready.”

“Then why’d you bring me coffee?” She’s smirking up at him while she takes a sip.

“It’s decaf.” She grimaces and he laughs.

Steve comes in alone. He sits down, looking exhausted. “Anything?” Clint and Natasha look at their friend and can honestly say, they’ve never seen him like this. He’s worn in a way that even when he first came out of the ice doesn’t compare.

“Yeah, I’ve narrowed it to three.” She slides the photos over.

Pulling them to him, he looks at the girls, then at Nick. “And we’re sure all three are still alive?”

“What do I look like, Rogers? An amateur?” He huffs as close to a laugh as he’s gotten in weeks.

“What are we waiting for then?” He looks up expectantly.

“We’re waiting for a location. As soon as we have that, we can split the team and go after them.” She thinks about holding her next words, but this is her family, so she doesn’t. They all know about her past now, but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less. “There is another way to figure out which one it is.”

Something in her voice gives away the distress she’s feeling. “Nat?”

She stands up, moving through the room, one hand on her hip and one hand at her mouth as she chews on her nails. “If it’s one of these girls then one of them didn’t go through the ‘graduation’ ceremony. She would be the only one that…didn’t.” Clint watches the pain flash across her face before she covers it.

“So you’re saying that we might be able to find her if there’s been other kids?” Steve looks up hopeful.

“That or health issues that would only occur if certain things were still…” She’s getting shaky.

Clint gets up and goes to her. “So, once our contacts find them we can start checking to see which one maybe has a family or at the very least a past health issue that isn’t what we’d expect from someone from the Red Room.” Natasha nods then lets Clint hug her. Natasha puts the parameters into the system and they head to bed.

The following afternoon FRIDAY sounds an alarm heard on all four of the Stark floors. _‘All Avengers report to the conference room, please._ ’ There’s a pause. _‘All Avengers to the conference room.’_

Within minutes, every person on the four floors is standing in the conference room as a picture hovers in the air above the table. She’s one of the girls from the photos. “FRIDAY what are we looking at?”

_‘Sir, this is Katarina Orlova and I believe she is who the Captain and Sergeant are lookin for.’_

Tony looks over hopeful. “Explain please, FRIDAY.”

_‘Sirs, seventeen years ago, Ms. Orlova had an abortion followed by a complete hysterectomy. As you know, when the girls left the Red Room, they were…’_

Before she can finish, Winter steps in. “We’re aware FRIDAY. Where is she located?”

_‘She owns a villa off the Amalfi Coast.’_

Steve looks over at Winter, but talks to the whole group. “Suit up, we’re going to find our son.”


	21. 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting the team together.

Winter kneels in front of Iris, her little lip is quivering and tears are welling up in her eyes. “You’ll come back safe, Papa Snow?”

He pulls her close, hugging her tightly and kissing the crown of her head. “Of course I will. Daddy will keep me safe.”

“And who will keep Daddy safe?” Winter chuckles, kissing her forehead. 

“I will. See, Daddy and I have been fighting together for such a long time that we’ve learned how to makes sure the other is safe all the time.” She throws herself into his arms again.

“Okay, I’m trusting you because you’re my Papa, but I’ll be really mad if you come back not okay.” Steve looks on, misty eyed.

“I promise.” Kissing her one more time, he looks up at Laura, who is staying behind with all the kids.

Iris launches herself into Steve’s arms. “I love you so much, Love Bug.”

“I love you too, Daddy. Stay safe.” He kisses her all over her face, making her laugh.

The two men hug Laura and head to put on their uniforms. As always, Winter’s uniform is black, but the left sleeve is missing. “What the hell is this?” There’s a wrist piece that isn’t normal and when he secures it to his left wrist, nano-tech takes over. It builds up his arm until it’s covered in a very close approximation of his metal arm from so many years ago. “Why?”

Tony walks in. “Because I want you to have all the weaponry possible. You tap the wrist piece and it’s gone, but I thought in a fight you might want a little extra surprise for our fight.” He watches Winter’s face to see how the assassin feels about what he’s done.

“It works. Thanks Stark.” Steve comes around the corner and Winter freezes. He isn’t sure what he expected, but this isn’t it. “Steve?”

The uniform is also all black: no star, no red, no white, no blue, just black stealth. The shield in his hands is also black, again with no star. “I asked Tony to make some adjustments.”

Winter knows he needs to be focused, but Steve looks like a walking wet dream. “Jesus…”

Holding out his hand, he takes Winter’s, squeezing gently. “Let’s go get our son.”

Clint whistles as they board the jet and pats Steve on the shoulder. “That is a new look. I’m likin it.” 

Sam joins them not long after, his stealth suit in the deep blue and a star that makes him recognizable. “Well, well, well, look at Captain Midnight.”

Winter can’t help the snigger that escapes. “Captain Midnight. I like that.”

All members of the team freeze when Rescue walks onto the jet. Tony’s mouth is hanging open because this wasn’t part of the plan. “Honey?”

“If you think I’m not going to take my shot at someone that messed with my family, you don’t know me as well as you think you do.” The face mask melts away and she looks determined. “I’m going and you can either be okay with that or not, but I need to do this.”

No one says anything else, but Tony nods. Once that’s settled, Natasha checks the flight plan.

“Okay, strap in everybody, we’re ready for takeoff.” There are two jets containing everyone that’s on the team. Natasha looks at Steve, who nods as she flips several switches. “T’Challa, Shuri, and Nakia will meet us there.” Steve looks up shocked. “What? You thought we were going after our boy and they weren’t going to be a part of it. They’re just a pissed as we are.”

Steve reaches over, taking Winter’s hand. “You ready?”

“I’ve been ready.” Thor comes to sit with them. “You okay to do this, Thor?”

He looks over, smiling. “I was told by my beautiful wife that if I did not do this, I could expect to sleep very lonely for a very long time. I have great motivation.”

Steve barks a laugh. “How is she? I’m sorry we haven’t…”

“Brother, you owe me no apologies. I believe I understand now how devastating this is for you. She is but three weeks old and Lilianna is the center of our world.” Thor seems to be tearing up. “I would bring down the universe for her and little Sebastian is my family. What we do today sends a message that we will protect and defend our family.”

Winter looks him dead in the eye. “Thank you, but that isn’t the only message we’re sending today.” The com links are open between the jets and the men don’t realize that everyone can hear them. Thor nods to encourage him to continue. “We’re also letting everyone know that if they fuck with our family we will rain hell down on their heads.”

Thor bursts with pride. “Quite right, Brother. And gods help anyone that tries this again. The havoc that we wreak today will send that message undoubtedly.”

Tony turns to look at the two men. “How are we playing this?”

Steve looks up at Sam, who gives him the okay to answer for the team. “Winter and I could care less what happens to the other people, but Sebastian comes home without a scratch.”

Tony smirks. “Are you telling us this is a take no prisoner’s situation?”

“I’m telling you I don’t care what happens to anyone else. Blow the damn place up once we have Sebby for all I care.”


	22. 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one is prepared for the Winter Soldier.

Red Wing is sent out before the jets reach the destination. The scans are put up on the screens at it makes its way around the perimeter of the villa, just out of detection range. On a large sprawling lawn, two men are watching a small child. A woman comes out of the villa, standing with the men. The program fills in the details and when Steve and Winter see Sebastian, their little Sebby, they latch hold of each other. “Steve…” It’s quiet, almost whimpered.

Steve turns to his husband and for the first time sees Jacob looking back at him. “You ready to do this?”

Jacob nods and then Winter is back. He goes to the armory, sliding the rack out. He has his knives already, and three glocks on his body. He pulls out the M4A1 with the M2O3 Grenade Launcher, a weapon he hasn’t used since Hydra, but it’s exactly the message he wants to send. Turning, he smiles at Steve. “Let’s do this.”

“We have confirmation from T’Challa. They have touched down outside detection range.” Natasha turns in the pilot seat. “They have 25 to 30 guards on property, armored vehicles, AR-15’s, and a bioscan front gate with a guard shack.”

They land the jets off property, near the jet from Wakanda. Still in stealth mode, no one seems to be the wiser. Sam taps his com. “Looking for secure channel.”

Natasha’s voice comes over the earpiece. “Channel Seven secure.” Everyone resets their coms. Steve thanks T’Challa for his assist.

“My friend, you need not thank me for something I am happy to do.” Steve looks over at Sam.

Sam doesn’t defer to Steve this time. This one is his. “I want the fliers in the air, but everyone is on stealth until my say so. Iron Man, Rescue, and War Machine will secure the perimeter of the villa. Everyone else will secure the security teams.” Sam looks over at Winter. “Winter, how are you going in?”

Steve watches his husband head towards the gate. “Right through the fucking front door.” Steve watches him strut away. It shouldn’t be hot, but damn if it not the hottest thing he’s ever seen.

“God, I love you.” Steve follows in his wake.

Twenty yards from the gate, Winter fires the launcher. The grenade hits, bounces, then explodes, leaving the guards and the gate a smoking, fiery mess. Winter doesn’t stop, just keeps moving through the smoke and debris. Entering the compound, Winter holds the launcher in one arm, tapping the wrist piece, which covers his arm in what looks like a metal plates. As a guard comes toward him, he swings the arm and sends the guy flying. The shield goes flying passed him, knocking out three more security guards. Winter pulls a glock and takes down four others. A SUV comes towards them and Winter fires the launcher again and the vehicle explodes, he keeps strutting through the carnage. 

Around him, he’s aware of the others. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Thor bring down at least eight men using the hammer. He sees Natasha on the shoulders a man that stands no chance against her thighs of destruction. Arrows whizz by from Hawkeye’s position on the wall surrounding the compound. Whoever this woman is, she’s well connected.

“Damn baby, give me something to hit.” Winter throws a look over his shoulder that again, shouldn’t be as hot as it is. Steve moves around behind him, protecting his back and taking out the coming guards. “Sam, where’s Sebastian?”

The next voice isn’t Sam, but Tony. “They have him on the other side of the house. You can go around the east side.”

“Fuck that!” Winter growls out and shoots the launcher at the front door. The door, plus most of the connecting walls explodes. 

Tony chuckles. “Shortest distance is always a straight line.” Tony banks up hard, coming to a stop hovering above the house, repulsors ready. “I do like how this guy thinks.”

Steve goes through before Winter, shield up guarding his husband. A woman comes in from the patio doors with a gun and a smirk. Winter recognizes her as the woman from the photographs. “Well, well, well, I was told that you died Soldier.” 

“Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” He really doesn’t have time for some evil genius plan to be laid out, so he pulls a knife and she’s dead on the ground in seconds with a knife sticking out of an eye socket. As he moves passed her to the door, he reaches down, pulling the knife out, wiping it on his pants.

Steve releases the shield and it takes out the man they know to be Jason Lance. Nikolai Pierce starts to bend to pick up Sebastian, when the little boy punches him in the face. Normally, a three year old wouldn’t do much damage, but Sebastian Rogers is his fathers’ son. Pierce hits the ground and Sebby runs to his dads. “Daddy, Papa come for me.” He’s grinning ear to ear.

“We have the villa secure.” Sam’s voice comes through the com as he lands next to Pierce, placing a foot on the man’s chest and pointing a gun at his head. “Move, I dare you.”

Steve and Winter scoop Sebastian up, holding him between them, both of them crying. “Of course we came for you, honey.”

Sebby leans away, tiny hands on his fathers’ cheeks. “Took too long.”

Both men laugh, hugging him close again. “We’re sorry, Sebby.”

Winter turns on Pierce, pulling a gun. Steve’s hand shoots out, stopping him. “Not in front of the baby.”

Pierce looks at Winter, eyes wide. “You’re dead. My father told me you died.”

“Yeah well, it didn’t take.”

They make their way back through the house when Natasha strides passed, stopping only long enough to pat Sebastian’s cheek. “Get him to the jet, we’ll handle this.”

On the flight home, they don’t ask what the team did with the two men. They don’t care. High moral ground has no place when family is involved. Sebastian falls asleep in Jacob’s lap and Jacob falls asleep in Steve’s. Steve just holds them close, not letting go no matter what. Thor contacts everyone at home. He talks at length with Olivia and turns the tablet so she can see her brother, Steve and their baby boy.

By the time they get home, the kids are already in bed. Steve picks up Iris from Laura, carrying her sleeping form to their floor. They put her in the twin bed in her room and lay Sebby next to her, covering both kids. The men sit on the floor across the room, watching their babies all night. 

Just before dawn, Steve leans over, kissing Jacob on the temple. “I love you.” Jacob hums that he heard. “We’re going home tomorrow after everyone sees Sebby, but once we get there, we…” He’s getting himself worked up. He’s cried a few times, but the stress, fear, anger and every other emotion Steve’s been feeling, finally comes to the surface.

Turning his body, Jacob takes his husband into his arms, holding him tightly. “Sssshhhh honey, it’s okay. Let it all out. We’re safe. Sebby’s safe. Iris is safe. It’s going to be okay.” Steve just clings to him, holding on almost too aggressively. “Everything’s okay now.”


	23. 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talks and going home

As Iris wakes the next morning, she rolls over to wallow for a few more minutes before going to wake her daddies. She’s met with a small warm body in the bed with her. Blinking her eyes open, she finds Sebastian smiling at her. Cuddling in, using her little brother as a pillow, she starts to cry. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

Sebastian pats her head like he’s seen his daddies do when she’s upset about something. “It okay.” Steve and Jacob watch from where they’ve been all night, tears coursing down their faces.

Iris sits up, pointing at Sebby. “From now on, you are going to hold my hand everywhere we go. I’m not letting you lose ever again.”

Sebastian giggles at her. “Yeth ma’am.” That throws her into a fit of giggles and Steve and Jacob join them on the bed. When Laura and Clint come to find them for breakfast, they’re in a big cuddle pile on the bed.

They spend the day with the whole family and everyone gets to meet Lilianna for the first time. Olivia didn’t bring her before because she didn’t want them to split their focus or have to fain excitement. Now though, everyone gets a chance to hold and coo over her. After swimming, games, and too much food Sebastian and Morgan fall into restful sleep. Jacob sits in the chair inside, watching the two. 

“Are you going to spend the rest of your life watching him?” Jacob looks over and finds his sister by the door. The sun is starting to set and the rest of the group is still out by the pool.

“I…it’s just…he’s…” She comes over, sitting between his legs on the floor.

“I get it. I mean I had sympathy for what you were going through.” She looks up at him and his eyes are still on the babies. “Then I held Lilianna for the first time and suddenly it made complete sense. I don’t know how you stayed sane.”

They don’t see Steve standing at the door with Iris in his arms. Jacob looks down at his sister. “No one prepares you for how you’re going to feel about them. People can say, ‘oh you won’t believe how much you love them,’ but you don’t get it. Then you have them and…”

“Yeah, it’s like everything you ever thought you believed or knew is gone and the only thing you know for sure is…” That’s when Steve breaks in.

“That no matter what, you’ll love them through anything and protect them against everything.” Steve looks down at a dozing Iris. “They have no idea what we’re willing to go through for them.” Iris crawls out of Steve’s arms and goes over to the pallet on the floor. Laying down next to her brother, throwing an arm over him, and lets herself drift off.

Olivia watches them for a few more minutes. “Are you two really going home tomorrow?”

Jacob combs his fingers through her hair. “We need to get back to something normal.” He looks up at Steve, who’s come to stand next to the chair. Reaching up, he takes his hand. “We probably need to find someone for the kids to talk to. There’s going to be trauma.”

“I think I might want to find someone to talk to as well.” Jacob looks up surprised at Steve’s admission. “I mean I can’t spend the rest of my life thinking that one or both of them are going to disappear.” Jacob kisses Steve’s hand.

Jacob spends the night packing and going back and forth to Iris’s room to check that both kids are still there. Melinda tries to help, but her son is quieter than normal and it worries her. Steve comes in after having checked every nook where the kids could have left anything. “I think we finally have everything.” Neither of them sleep.

They fly home the next morning with Clint and his family. The jet goes back under the barn and Becca comes bounding over, beside herself with glee that her family is home. The local boy that took care of her while her family was gone was great, but she loves her little people better than anything. When they get into the house, Steve notices immediately that something is different, but it isn’t until the voice that he knows what’s happened. 

‘Welcome home, Mr. and Mr. Barnes.’

“FRIDAY?” Steve looks up at the ceiling and still doesn’t know what he does that.

‘Boss thought it best if you had constant security.’

“Thank you, FRIDAY.” Jacob drops the bags in the living room and heads into the kitchen. He finds numerous meals already prepared, some in the fridge and some in the freezer. “FRIDAY, how long has this food been in here?”

‘It arrived this morning, compliments of Mrs. Boss.’

They spend the rest of the day checking on the animals, rebonding with Becca, and hanging out as a family. That night, the two men force themselves to put the kids in their room and going to their own. They shower separately. When Steve comes out, Jacob is already in bed, facing the wall. At first, Steve thinks he’s asleep, but the quiet sniffle tells him differently. “Jay?”

There’s a louder sniffle and Steve slips into the bed, scooting up behind his husband, and moving him so that his back is to Steve’s front. “I’ve never been so scared and that’s sayin something, Steve.”

“My beautiful, beautiful Bucky.” He kisses the crown of Bucky’s head. “This isn’t any normal situation. When I was taken, I can normally defend myself. When you were taken, you definitely can defend yourself, but Sebby can’t. He’s a baby. He needs us to defend him.” Steve rolls Bucky onto his back. “And we did. We brought him home.”

Bucky dives into Steve’s chest and lets the bigger man pull him in. “Just hold me.”

“For now and always.”


	24. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iris is 9 and Sebby is 5.

“Jesus Christ! I can’t believe we agreed to this.” Steve watches the trucks pull in and workers unloading the animals.

“It wasn’t my idea. You said, ‘don’t worry, baby, I told Tony not to overdo it’ and you forgot that overdoing it is what Tony does.” Bucky walks passed him, carrying table clothes.

Cars are starting to pull in and Steve is just about to head around the house to see who’s arrived. As he steps off the porch, Iris comes out of the house. “Daddy, Maeve is awake.”

Steve jogs back into the house as Sebastian runs out the door followed by Becca. He hears Iris squeal and knows that something’s just been unloaded that she likes, probably a horse. She’s going through a horse faze. Gently opening the door, he sees that sweet little face smiling. She’s rolled onto her stomach, head lifted up, bright eyes taking in everything around her. Stepping forward, Steve’s movements catch her eye and she looks over, grinning and kicking her little chubby legs. “Hi sweetheart, did you have a good nap?”

She proceeds to babble and gurgle at him, making him smile even bigger. Putting her on the changing table, he hears the door squeak open. Leaning against the door frame is his gorgeous, miraculous husband. “So this is where you ran off to. I thought you were hiding from the ‘can I have a horse’ conversation.”

“I shouldn’t have let Tony do this. I’m sorry.” Bucky comes over, picking up their youngest and heading out the door. When they get to the porch, everyone has arrived and are running around playing with the kids. This is going to be a birthday that Iris never forgets. Tony has her on a horse and she looks like she was born to ride. Sebastian is on Thor’s shoulders, doing what Steve and Bucky can only assume is a battle cry. Maeve is six months and kicks her legs like she’s practicing running already. Bucky cuddles her close and Steve stand behind them, arms wrapped around them both. Bucky leans back, head on Steve’s shoulder. “You still think you have the perfect life?”

“Every damn day, baby.”


End file.
